Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

Rumors in the capital city grow faster than the weeds in the moat.

At first, it was just a few gossipy old women talking by the well, saying that the wife of Imperial Censor Gu was too alluring and didn't seem to come from a respectable family.

Two days later, the meaning of those words changed.

Some people swore that they saw green light emanating from the Gu residence in the middle of the night and heard wild beasts howling.

Even more extreme claims suggest that Censor Gu's successful career was due to a fox spirit draining his yang energy, resulting in bad luck.

Gu Xiang stood in front of the radish stall in the East Market, carrying a vegetable basket, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Have you heard? That Imperial Censor Gu's forehead is dark; he probably won't live past this winter."

The auntie selling radishes was cleaning the mud off the radishes while whispering to the pork vendor next to her.

"That's right, that woman looks like a vixen. Who in their right mind looks like that? It's just that Lord Gu has been so bookish that he's become obsessed."

Pork King brandished his butcher knife, looking regretful.

"Snapped!"

A plump, white radish was slammed onto the cutting board, sending mud splattering everywhere.

Gu Xiang rolled up his sleeves, the cuffs of his official robe reaching his elbows, revealing a section of the slender, white arm typical of a scholar.

"Nonsense!"

That shout startled all the elderly people buying groceries nearby.

Gu Xiang pointed at the old woman, his fingers trembling with anger.

"My wife is... she's naturally beautiful! She's a fairy descended from heaven! What demon? What 'absorbing yang energy'? Confucius said, 'Do not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits.' You are spreading rumors! You are slandering her! According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, those who spread rumors and cause trouble shall be punished with twenty strokes of the cane!"

The woman was startled, and the radish in her hand rolled to the ground.

"Oh dear, Lord Gu, we were just saying it casually..."

"You can't just say it casually!"

Gu Xiang's face turned red and his neck thickened; his demeanor was even more ferocious than when he impeached the prime minister in the imperial palace.

"My wife wouldn't even step on an ant, so what right do you have to slander her like this? Anyone who dares to gossip about her again, I... I'll come here every day and lecture you on the Great Zhou Law until your ears are calloused!"

Those around looked at each other in bewilderment; none of them had ever seen such a protective official.

Not far away, a soft laugh came from an inconspicuous blue-canopied carriage.

Su Qing lifted a corner of the curtain and looked at the man jumping up and down in front of the vegetable stall. She couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.

That idiot.

He's clearly just a scholar, yet he tries to act like a hero.

After Gu Xiang angrily climbed into the carriage and threw the vegetable basket into a corner, Su Qing slowly handed him a cup of tea.

"Lord Gu, you have quite the airs of an official!"

Gu Xiang took the tea, gulped it down, and was still panting heavily.

"I'm so angry! These people, they seem so honest and kind, how come they have such a gossipy mouth!"

Su Qing leaned back on the cushion, twirling her hair with her fingers, and said casually, "What they said isn't wrong either."

Gu Xiang was taken aback: "What?"

Su Qing moved closer to him, a sly glint in her peach blossom eyes.

"I am a vixen by nature."

As she spoke, a pair of fluffy white ears suddenly appeared on her head and playfully twitched.

For a moment, the air in the carriage seemed to freeze.

Gu Xiang's eyes widened.

The next second, he made a move that Su Qing never expected.

He lunged forward, covered Su Qing's ears, and then hurriedly took off his official hat and slammed it onto Su Qing's head.

"Hush! Hush!"

Gu Xiang nervously lifted the curtain to look outside, and only after making sure no one was paying attention did she lower her voice and look anxious.

"Are you crazy? This is the street! If those stinking Taoist priests see us, they'll start yelling and killing us!"

Su Qing's face was half-covered by that large black gauze hat, revealing only her rosy lips.

She stared blankly at Gu Xiang.

Is this idiot afraid she'll be discovered?

"Gu Xiang".

Su Qing pushed her hat up, revealing her eyes.

"I am a demon."

"I know." Gu Xiang gently but firmly pulled the hat down over her again. "So what if you're a demon? You're my wife."

Su Qing's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something.

It's both sour and soft.

The carriage swayed and rattled as it left the city and arrived at the banks of the Luo River.

Today, Gu Xiang was on leave, and he insisted on dragging her boating, saying it was to cultivate her mind and spirit.

The boat was a small, covered boat with a canopy, and the boatman was a deaf-mute old man who only focused on rowing the boat and didn't listen to gossip.

The river surface shimmered, and willow branches drooped down on both banks.

Su Qing sat at the bow of the boat, took off her shoes and socks, and dipped her feet into the cool river water, kicking the water droplets casually.

Gu Xiang sat next to her, holding a book in his hand, but didn't turn a page for a long time, his eyes were fixed on her pair of fair little feet.

"fool."

Su Qing suddenly spoke, her voice somewhat unsteady.

"If one day I truly lose control of my nature and want to eat people's hearts and rip out their lungs, becoming that kind of heinous monster, what will you do?"

She turned her head and looked at Gu Xiang.

Those vertical pupils held less of a playful tone and more of a probing look.

This was a question she had always wanted to ask, but had never dared to.

The saying "humans and demons are on different paths" is not just a saying.

Gu Xiang put down his book.

He looked at Su Qing, his eyes as clear as the water of the Luo River.

"If you eat people, then that person deserves to die."

Gu Xiang spoke slowly, each word seeming to have been carefully considered.

"If you're only after food, I'll catch chickens, ducks, and pigs for you. But if you truly desire human compassion..."

He paused, then pointed to his chest.

"This exquisitely crafted heart, though a bit sour and hardened, is clean in its own way. If you want it, take it."

Su Qing's fingers trembled slightly.

"You've read so many classic texts, yet Confucianism teaches you to sacrifice yourself to feed demons?"

"The classics teach me benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, but they also teach me to have a conscience."

Gu Xiang reached out and grasped Su Qing's slightly cool fingers.

"You are my conscience."

"If this world cannot accept you, if you truly choose to fall into the demonic path..."

Gu Xiang suddenly laughed, a laugh that carried an unprecedented arrogance.

"Then I will relinquish all my righteous spirit, refuse to be this damned saint, and accompany you into demonic ways."

"Hell or abyss, I'll go anywhere as long as you're here."

The wind stopped.

The water has stopped flowing.

Looking at the man before her, Su Qing felt a strange mix of emotions.

"Fool."

Su Qing cursed, but she couldn't stop the smile in her eyes.

Unfortunately, the weather wasn't cooperating.

Just moments ago the sky was clear and blue, but in the blink of an eye, dark clouds gathered, and large raindrops began to pelt down.

The two quickly abandoned the boat and went ashore, hiding in a dilapidated, abandoned temple.

This temple has been abandoned for who knows how many years. It is drafty on all sides, and half of the statues have collapsed.

Su Qing was soaked to the bone, her red dress clinging to her body.

Gu Xiang wasn't in much better shape, but he didn't care about himself. He quickly took off his outer robe, wrung it out, and draped it over Su Qing.

Are you cold?

Gu Xiang rubbed his hands together, breathing out warm air.

Su Qing was naturally not going to get cold from the rain, but she still pretended to curl up in a ball, her lips turning white, and nodded.

Gu Xiang hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, untied his inner garment, and wrapped Su Qing in his arms.

"Don't move, I'm hot."

He circulated the righteous energy within his body.

That golden-red aura rose from his dantian and flowed throughout his body along his meridians.

Gu Xiang's body instantly turned into a furnace.

Su Qing pressed against his burning chest, feeling the pure and powerful aura emanating from him.

Demons fear righteous energy; it's in their nature.

Strangely, Gu Xiang's righteous aura did not repel her.

Instead, it felt like a gentle, warm current flowing slowly into her body along their pressed skin, dispelling the biting chill.

Golden aura and pink demonic energy intertwined and entwined in the dilapidated temple, eventually merging together to transform into a strange, warm light.

Su Qing hummed comfortably, snuggling against Gu Xiang like a lazy cat.

Gu Xiang stood frozen, not daring to move.

Holding his beloved woman in his arms, smelling her alluring fragrance, this was the ultimate test for a man full of vigor.

He recited the Analects eight hundred times in his mind before he could barely suppress the restlessness in his heart.

"fool."

Su Qing closed her eyes and spoke in a soft, gentle voice.

"If I were to leave one day, would you be sad?"

Gu Xiang's heart tightened, and he instinctively tightened his grip on her.

"Where are you going? Are you going back to Qingqiu?"

"I mean, if."

"There are no 'ifs'." Gu Xiang rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice muffled. "Wherever you go, I'll go. If you dare to sneak away, I'll write a memorial impeaching you for abandoning me after starting something!"

Su Qing chuckled softly in his arms.

The rain has stopped and the sky is clear.

The two walked back hand in hand.

As soon as we entered the city gate, we saw several guys dressed in Taoist robes, holding compasses, looking around.

"A demonic aura! This humble Taoist priest smells a demonic aura!"

The leader, a Taoist priest, had a mustache and triangular eyes; he was clearly not a respectable person.

The compass needle in his hand spun wildly, finally pointing straight at Su Qing.

"You monster! Where do you think you're going!"

The Taoist priest shouted and charged forward, drawing his peach wood sword.

The surrounding people were so frightened that they scattered and fled.

Su Qing's eyes turned cold, and she was about to raise her hand when Gu Xiang stopped her.

Gu Xiang stepped forward and stood in front of Su Qing.

He took the gold badge that represented his status as an imperial censor from his waist and shoved it into the Taoist priest's face.

"How dare you!"

Gu Xiang roared angrily, displaying his official arrogance.

"In broad daylight, under the clear sky, how dare you commit murder with a weapon right under the emperor's nose! You're tired of living!"

The Taoist priest was dazzled by the golden plaque and was stunned.

"This...this humble Taoist is exorcising a demon..."

"What demon-slaying nonsense? I think you're the one spreading heresy!"

Gu Xiang didn't give him a chance to speak at all, and turned around to wave to the patrol battalion not far away.

"Guards! Seize these scoundrels who are disturbing the peace and plotting to harm the families of high-ranking officials! Throw them in jail, give them thirty lashes first, then we'll question them!"

Upon seeing that it was Imperial Censor Gu, the soldiers of the patrol camp dared not be negligent and swarmed forward, pinning the Taoist priests to the ground.

"Innocent! Your Honor, innocent! That woman is a demon!"

The Taoist priest was still howling like a ghost.

Gu Xiang sneered, walked over, and kicked the Taoist priest in the buttocks.

"Still talking nonsense! Gag her and drag her away!"

Watching the Taoist priests being dragged away like dead dogs, Su Qing stood behind them, laughing uncontrollably.

"Lord Gu, how impressive!"

Gu Xiang turned around, his previous swagger vanished instantly, and he scratched his head and grinned foolishly.

"That's right, we can't let anyone bully our wife."

By the time we returned to Zuixianju, it was already dark.

Su Qing pulled Gu Xiang into the room, took out a drawing from under her pillow, and spread it on the table.

"have a look."

Gu Xiang leaned closer to take a look, and his eyes widened instantly.

It was a bright red wedding dress.

Embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in the water and twin lotus flowers, the stitches are fine and the design is intricate, showing that it was made with great care.

"This...this is..."

Gu Xiang stammered, unable to speak fluently.

"What? You don't like it?" Su Qing raised an eyebrow. "If you don't like it, then forget it. Use it to start a fire."

"I love it! I love it!"

Gu Xiang pressed down on the blueprint, as if afraid it would fly away.

He looked at Su Qing, and his eyes reddened again.

"Su Qing, you...you really want to marry me?"

Su Qing rolled her eyes at him.

"What else? I've shared a bed with you for three years, do you think I'd marry someone else? If you don't marry me, I'll go and complain to the emperor!"

Gu Xiang hugged her tightly, burying his head in the crook of her neck, his shoulders trembling.

"I'll marry her! I'll go to propose tomorrow! I want everyone in the capital to know that Su Qing is my lawfully wedded wife!"

"Alright, alright, stop wiping your snot on me."

Su Qing pushed him away in disgust, but a smile remained on her lips.

"I've chosen the date; it's in three days. It's auspicious for marriage and betrothal."

"Okay! Three days from now! I'll go write the invitations!"

Gu Xiang was as excited as a child, and turned to run to the study, wishing he could send out invitations all over the city right now.

As Su Qing watched his retreating figure, the smile in her eyes gradually faded, turning into a barely perceptible worry.

She walked to the window and opened it.

The moon is beautiful tonight, but the wind is a bit chilly.

High above, where the lights of every household in the capital city cannot reach.

A massive black spirit ship silently broke through the clouds and hovered above the city.

The spirit boat was enormous, obscuring half the night sky.

On the black sail, a pale white character for "forget" was embroidered, radiating a chilling aura under the moonlight.

In the study, Gu Xiang was humming a little tune as he wrote with flowing strokes of his brush.

"We cordially invite you to our humble abode to celebrate our wedding..."

The character for "joy" was written exceptionally large and exceptionally round.

Just like his heart at this moment, it is completely full and can hold nothing else.

A Seven-Character Quatrain: A Love Story in the Divine Capital

Rumors spread throughout the neighborhood, and the village woman angrily defended her beautiful daughter.

A boat floats on the Luo River, discussing ghosts and monsters; a sudden downpour at a dilapidated temple warms the heart.

A righteous spirit blends with a demonic soul; a half-written marriage certificate binds their enduring love.

The wedding invitations were filled with ink, unaware that the spirit boat was pressing down on the city wall.